Companies like Google and IBM are trying to lead the world in cutting-edge, efficient data centers. Not to be outdone, on Tuesday Yahoo announced they're hoping to change to future of data centers as well. The company unveiled plans to build one of the world's most efficient data centers in Lockport, NY and the details do sound pretty exciting.
The data center will be powered mainly by hydroelectric power from Niagara Falls, with 90 percent of that energy going towards powering the servers. The center itself will be built to resemble a chicken coop, using 100 percent outside air to cool the servers, a task which typically gobbles up 50 percent of a data center's energy supply. And the company expects the yearly PUE average to be 1.1 or better.
In addition to building this super-efficient data center, the company also committed to reducing the carbon footprint of all their data centers by 40 percent by 2014. They intend to accomplish this through using more renewable energy sources to power their data centers, implementing more efficient building designs and improving the efficiency of the servers themselves.
Another major commitment made in this announcement was that the company would cease purchasing carbon offsets and was aiming to reduce their carbon impact directly through decreasing energy consumption. We would love to hear of more companies relying less on offsets and more on energy-saving improvements.
via Yahoo Blog
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written by Derek Silva, July 02, 2009
It's worth noting that the photo you're using is of the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, not the American. Any hydro coming from that part of Niagara Falls is already being gobbled up by the citizens of the province of Ontario, Canada in cities like Toronto, Mississauga and Hamilton.
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written by shek, July 02, 2009
Unless they are funding an expansion to the generation facility at Niagara, then who cares? All of the power generated at Niagara is already sold to the grid and consumed. I guess they could brag about how efficient the Data Center will be, and the fact that it's in the US is nice from a trade/jobs POV, but unless they are adding more generating capacity to Niagara this article is just name dropping...
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written by Tamas Das, July 03, 2009
I think this will be a huge budget program to build a dam and hydroelectric project. rather than wasting money on it, they could have better used this money to buy some big sites such as digg.com ;-)
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written by Furobiker, July 03, 2009
I dont think dragging niagra falls in their plans is a intelligent move. Its better if they focus on making their datacenters efficient
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written by Johnny MAck, July 03, 2009
You go Yahoo! I am susprised Google didnt think of that!
RT
www.anonymize.tk
RT
www.anonymize.tk
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written by sbrof, July 03, 2009
It would be even more 'green' if they were not building in a suburban business park. It makes a lot of sense for data centers to be located in colder climates and the electricity from the Falls is about as green as it gets... but building on a farm and not in an established area is about as far from green as possible...
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Crown+Dr.+Lockport+NY&sll=43.163996,-78.689661&sspn=0.044199,0.108147&ie=UTF8&ll=43.169927,-78.748466&spn=0.005524,0.013518&t=h&z=17
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Crown+Dr.+Lockport+NY&sll=43.163996,-78.689661&sspn=0.044199,0.108147&ie=UTF8&ll=43.169927,-78.748466&spn=0.005524,0.013518&t=h&z=17
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written by Buffalogirl, July 03, 2009
They wouldn't have to change or dam or do anything to the falls in order for this to work.
just plug in
just plug in
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written by shek, July 03, 2009
You're missing the point. The power that is generated by Niagara is already being used. Just because Yahoo! builds a facility right next to the hydroplant doesn't mean that they are exclusively buying their power from Niagara (and even if they were, then all of the people that were previously getting their power from Niagara would then have to get their power from somewhere else). Unless they are somehow going to increase the capacity to generate more renewable power then they aren't really helping by putting the facility next to a renewable power plant that already exists (except perhaps to help reduce power transmission losses). It's good that their facility is efficient, but the fact that it's near Niagara means nothing.
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written by shitface, July 03, 2009
wow dumb fucks want to spare with the power which needed for a couple of servers which is absolutely nothing compared to the power average people use to power their houses, great success...
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written by Mr Big, July 05, 2009
What about Geothermal or Solar power... Hydro power is not the most ecologically efficient though...
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written by billygoat, July 05, 2009
look at the website. server warehouses consume a huge amount of power. think about a normal compy. around 300 watts per computer, multiply that by about 700, and you have a huge power draw, not to mention the air conditioning that you'd need to cool the entire warehouse and its computers. and that's just a regular desktop computer.
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written by Fred, July 06, 2009
talk about natural resources. looks like an interesting way to save.
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written by Starting a Green Business, July 06, 2009
Obviously not the most-efficient or newest, but I don't see any problem with using it as a way to power the servers. Definitely better than consuming oil for it.
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written by sbrof, July 07, 2009
@ Mr. Big.
That is true if you need to dam the river to produce the power. The beauty of the falls if the potential is already there, without the major ecological impacts other hydro plants have.
It is also worth noting that that Canadian side of the falls is in the process of increasing their power generating capacity.
That is true if you need to dam the river to produce the power. The beauty of the falls if the potential is already there, without the major ecological impacts other hydro plants have.
It is also worth noting that that Canadian side of the falls is in the process of increasing their power generating capacity.
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written by ken upton, July 08, 2009
If you have moving water,you have all the electrical power you need now . Using multi axis kite/foil machines like we have invented . Either on the surface (like you will see on our web site (www.sims.tv ) or our older designs for the bottom. Like Atlantis have copied and are now trying to patent.Morgan & S are still up to their old tricks like in the days of Tesla.They had the cash to build a large prototype and prooved our systems make the cheapest kw hour RE in the world .We are a small research charity working for the good of all.
If any reporters want the full story ,start doing your homework.Then contact us >>> Ken Upton >>4paz. Spain.Eureka, Findlay media have some good copy on our ideas. We have a even better wet RE harvested, now designed and ready for prototype. But need cash or partnership to build it.
If any reporters want the full story ,start doing your homework.Then contact us >>> Ken Upton >>4paz. Spain.Eureka, Findlay media have some good copy on our ideas. We have a even better wet RE harvested, now designed and ready for prototype. But need cash or partnership to build it.
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written by Patrick, July 15, 2009
If they are already generating electricity from the Niagara Falls, then this move doesn't make a whole lot of sense. It would really make them stand out if they were to equip their current data centers with renewable energy and make their servers as efficient as possible to run cooler.
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written by momo, July 16, 2009
Niagara Falls is already generating lots of electricity. What actually goes over the falls is just a fraction of the available water -- most of it (50-75%) is diverted upstream of the falls for hydro.
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written by John, July 20, 2009
You've forgotten about transmission losses of building far away from generation facilities, and the issues of building yet more high-voltage transmission lines. Recall the great US Eastern black-out of 2003. Yes, siting near Niagara Falls creates no new capacity, but it uses existing capacity more efficiently.
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written by Alexandra, August 15, 2009
I don't understand everyone who is saying it is better for Yahoo to focus on improving the efficiency of their data centers rather than helping the environment. Improving the efficiency would just gobble up for energy and therefore release more fossil fuels. I think it is wonderful that Yahoo is trying to help the environment and release less CO2. Maybe after they do that, they can improve efficiency so as not to waste so much energy.
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written by manu, August 21, 2009
90% of the energy coming from hydroelectric source is not bad at all. Actually its a huge help. What is important here is the initiative of Yahoo to save our dying planet.
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